CCT 355: E-Business Technologies

1. CCT 355: E-Business Technologies Class 1: Course Introduction

2. Welcome! • A bit about me • A bit about you: • a) What is meant by e-business technologies? • b) What is not meant by the term? • c) In five years, what do you see yourself doing? • d) How will you get there?

3. A few notes to start… • E-business technologies are NOT simple e-commerce solutions • E-business technologies are NOT the design of online advertising or marketing strategies • Simple “shopping cart” solutions are old hat and easily set up in ten minutes – not very interesting • Online marketing/advertising is related, but we have a different course for that (CCT356)

4. E-Business Technologies • Information systems that support business processes • Information systems that support the people engaged in business processes • Examples?

5. People, process, context and technology • People, process, technology and context intersect • People issues? • Process issues? • Context issues? • Technology issues? • Appropriate solutions balance needs and constraints of all four

6. Example: Sheridan IDs for CCIT students • New students to Sheridan need student IDs/passwords – presently not provided directly • People? • Process? • Context? • Technology? • Solutions?

7. Course Outline • Contact/availability • TA • Prerequisite requirements • Text • Online readings/guest lectures will be scheduled

8. Course Wiki • http://cct355-f12.wikispaces.com • Sign up now • Quick tutorial • Ignore SLATE, please.

9. Assignments • E-Business Case Interview • Change Management Simulation • Terminology Presentations • In-Class Exercises • Business Analysis Consulting Project • Final Exam

10. E-Business Case Interview • Many active e-business companies and consultants in the GTA area, and globally • Getting to know them is imperative in finding employment – in job hunting, it’s often who you know and who knows you that counts • Case study assignment – a critical in-depth case study of one individual doing work in e-business technologies – creation, implementation, evaluation, management, etc. • Generally NOT end users – someone who knows how to use a point-of-sale system isn’t particularly interesting or involved. • Proposal (Sept 27) – ungraded but helpful to keep from blowing well off course.

11. Tips • No set questions – part of the challenge • Questions to consider? Questions to avoid? • You MUST have contact with them – it’s not a textual analysis of someone’s web page – why? • Friends/family not best for this • Aim for companies/locations you’d consider as a career – use this as a networking opportunity • Good to start brainstorming about options now – places to start?

12. Change Management Simulation • An example of networking in action! • Much of implementing technology in business context is personal and political, not technical • ExperiencePoint simulation guides you through the complexity of managing change in a fictitious technology company • Group project to negotiate a change management solution given the challenges of the company

13. Tips • Oct. 25 class reserved for simulation – do try to be here – game will go live then. • Ideally, groups should be similar for final project – treat the simulation exercise as a means of getting to know your group members • Read the change management documentation first– it’s a big help. • Expect to make mistakes – first pass through simulation is usually a disaster • You MUST successfully “win” the game – multiple passes will be needed (and is valuable) • Document group’s progress/problem solving process – paper is largely a reflection on your learning • Graphs/etc. from the simulation encouraged.

14. Terminology Presentations • A lot of buzzwords and jargon in this space. • You will be randomly assigned one word and a presentation date • Date/topic switching – please do early. We can’t overload last classes. • Ignite presentation format – 15 seconds a slide, maximum 20 slides • “Enlighten us, but make it quick.” • Good networking events! • A great example: http://theoatmeal.com/blog/ignite_video

15. Tips • A quick definition of term to start – research to follow – but keep content simple for a 5-minute, 20 slide presentation (can be less slides, can’t be more.) • Ignite style privileges visual content – not much you can say in text in 15 seconds! • Use the template if you’d like : http://ignitebc.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Ignite-Template-Master.ppt • Practice, practice, practice – part of grade is conforming to standard and not running over/under • Good advice at : http://userfirstweb.com/328/successful-ignite-presentations/

16. Business Analysis Consulting • What does a BA do? • What doesn’t a BA do? • Group final project (3-4 people) delivering document about 20pages • Pick an organization that could use some attention to its e-business technology strategy • Analyze its current condition and propose feasible solutions that might be helpful • Present project in ignite presentation

17. Consulting Guidelines • Like case study assignment, ability to talk to decision makers is key • Unlike case study, you can pick closer contacts • Reminder: shopping carts, web page redesign, marketing campaigns are not really the point – will lead to off topic work – consider more sophisticated e-business tech challenges • Final solution should balance people, process, technology and context questions • Integrate business model from BMG text and some reflection on change management process (how depends on the context of your case)

18. Final Exam • Exam in formal exam period (December, date/time TBA) • Will mostly evaluate conceptual application vs. simple regurgitation of definitions • All texts and notes included, including terminology presentations • More later on structure.

19. Policy Notes • Academic dishonesty is a serious matter • Assignments structured to make cheating rather hard (and rather obvious when it happens…) • So, don’t cheat – here, you’ll just fail the assignment and perhaps the course – do the same the business world, you can be fired or worse. • Absent for assignment due date? Report through ROSI (why?) • Final exam – formal exam period makeup in winter reading week • Accessibility concerns – talk privately

20. Next Class • Sign on to wiki by next class • Next week: starting with foundational e-business technologies with ERP • Assignment of presentation topics/dates to follow (next week or the week after.)